SEPTEMBER
9 2022
BY BILL PEGLOWSKI
GOWANDA, N.Y. - The Gowanda Varsity football team opened its season hosting Silver Creek/Forestville on Sept. 2. It was not only the home opener but the first game for the new Gowanda head coach, Brett Ebling, who had been promoted from assistant coach after several years with the team. Starting on their own 30, Gowanda managed a single 1st down before seeing their drive stall at the 40. Silver Creek began their first possession on their own 41 after timing on the Gowanda punt was initially thrown off by a bobbled snap. They would get as far as the Gowanda 35 before a long pass was intercepted at the 6 by Ryan Waterman. The second Gowanda drive got going energized by a couple of Winter Rivera’s 1st down runs. A 34-yard pass got Gowanda to the Silver Creek 23 and, two plays later, Waterman pulled down a 23-yard touchdown pass for Gowanda. After the successful 2-point conversion, Gowanda was out in front 8-0. Silver Creek answered in their next series moving steadily down the field from their own 40. After reaching the Gowanda 4, quarterback Matt Woleben carried the ball himself crossing the left sideline just inches short of a touchdown. Silver Creek scored on the next play running the ball straight into the end zone. On the conversion try, they were flagged for an illegal man downfield as the pass sailed untouched past the end of the field. The penalty was declined and the score stood at 8-6. With 7:30 left in the half, the following kickoff was
Gowanda Sports Report returned from the 15 to the 34-yard line. From there, Gowanda drove all the way to the Silver Creek 20 taking a lot of time off of the clock. A 4th-down pass just missed its target at the 1-yard line, giving the ball back to Silver Creek with 1:06 on the clock. They only managed to get two plays off, gaining 7 yards, before the half ended. Silver Creek returned the opening kick of the second half 12 yards to the 26. After a pair of 1st downs, they drove as far as the Gowanda 38 before a 4th-down pass completion failed. With the Gowanda offense back on the field, a heavy dose of Aiden Ackley’s runs sparked a Gowanda drive to the Silver Creek 1-yard line as the 3rd quarter ended. They scored on the first play of the final quarter. A second successful conversion run increased the Gowanda lead to 16-6. Silver Creek got great field position after running the next kickoff back from the 19 to the 43, breaking several tackles on the way. Hampered by a motion penalty, the drive got only as far as the 42 facing a 3rd and 11. A pass just out of the reach of the receiver at the 25 would force them to punt the ball back to Gowanda. Gowanda’s final drive of the game began on their own 17. It was marked by Gowanda runners picking up big chunks of yardage and reaching the Silver Creek 6 in eight plays. A 6-yard touchdown run and third successful conversion run took the score to 24-6 with 4:42 left to play. Caleb Fiegl ran the final kickoff of the game from the 13 to the 38 to set up Silver Creek’s final possession. They would only get as far as the Gowanda 38 before a 4th down run fell a
credited with an assist. The Pine Valley/Gowanda girls were also at Jamestown on Sept. 1, suffering an 11-1 loss. The lone Pine Valley goal was scored by Sarah Kruszka spoiling a Jamestown shutout. Two goaltenders split time in the net for Pine Valley. Destiny Lindquist had 10 saves on 16 shots in the first half, while Arryanna Bardo stopped 8 of 13 shots in the second. SCOREBOARD Football Friday, Sept. 2 -Gowanda 24, Silver Creek 6 -Burgard 22, Springville 6 Girls Volleyball -Westfield 3, Silver Creek 0 Boys Soccer Wednesday, Aug. 31 -Springville 3, Pioneer 1
Press Photo by Bill Peglowski Gowanda’s Aiden Ackley (35) runs the football trailed by Silver Creek’s Jake Szumigala (65). yard short of a 1st down. With just over a minute left in the game, Gowanda was able to close things out with kneel downs. Gowanda quarterback Quentin Centner completed 5 of 10 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed five times for 11 yards and another touchdown. Also with a rushing touchdown for Gowanda was Winter Rivera with 81 yards on 12 carries.
Other Gowanda rushers with double-digit yardage were Aiden Ackley (11 for 62 yards), Brayden Smith (7 for 36 yards) and Kaleb Smith (7 for 17 yards). Top receivers were Jon Sheldon (2 for 46 yards) and Ryan Waterman (1 for 23 yards and a touchdown). Leading the Silver Creek attack was quarterback Matt Woleben (9/19 for 63 yards), who also rushed six times for 12 yards and a touchdown.
IN OTHER NEWS, the boys and girls Pine Valley/Gowanda Varsity soccer teams saw their first action of the week. The boys were at Jamestown for a non-league game on Sept. 1, which they lost, 9-3. Matthew Hostetter scored twice for Pine Valley with Darwin Westlund credited with an assist on both goals. Westlund also scored a goal himself with Noah Frontuto
Thursday, Sept. 1 -Jamestown 9, Pine Valley 3 -Silver Creek 1, Dunkirk 0 Friday, Sept. 2 -West Seneca 2, Springville 0 Girls Soccer Tuesday, Aug. 30 -Lake Shore 7, Silver Creek 0 Thursday, Sept. 1 -Jamestown 11, Pine Valley 1 -Dunkirk 3, Silver Creek 2 Friday, Sept. 2 -West Seneca 8, Springville 0